For you guys who autocross in the stock class.

When I raced the Protege5 recently, I really did a number on the outside edge of each front tire.

Have any of you considered a front swaybar upgrade? (Isn't this legal in stock)

I know that a rear bar would be most beneficial, but the front bar might help keep the car level, thus keeping the outside tire from getting excessive positive camber.

I also know that this goes against the idea that a front swaybar reduces front end "traction". But since you can't play with springs and it doesn't look like Mazda is going to release a TSB to allow the use of crash bolts, this might be a viable alternative.

Any thoughts? Jason Minehart, have you considered this any? Are you going to be racing the protege again next year?

 

You could put more air in your tire instead

 

I had 46psi of pressure in the front tires. They were NOT rolling over past the edge of the tread. They were, however, riding on the edge of the tire during sweepers.

 

I think that a swaybar mod will get you out of stock! I was put in STS for my front strut bar, that I added. Though if your P5 came stock with it, you are OK.

 

There are a lot of camber-challenged cars that are faster with a bigger front bar: 3rd and 4th-gen VWs are one example. And don't discount what can be done with shocks. The rears are more important than the fronts, as they can act like a bigger rear bar, by tightening up the rear in transitions.

I'm amazed at how easily the 3rd-gen cars can cook their inside front tire under acceleration. Even in second gear in slow corners.

And adding a front sway bar is legal in stock class. It's a left-over from the days when cars had no sway bars. But the strut bar isn't, unless it came that way from the factory (and you can only use the factory piece).

 

I think it would also help with wheel hop...

 

I'm not sure which is better.
First off, we are handicapped by not getting any camber. Second, I don't think a bigger front bar would help prevent wheel hop. I get less wheel hop with the stock bar and stock shocks than I do with the Bilsteins and the stock bar. I'm thinking my bilsteins maybe too stiff for the front, but the stocks are too soft to slalom well.

I have noticed one thing about the front tire wear- I get a much more even wear from a 225-45-15 tire (at about 50 psi) than I did with 205-50-15.
I usually run 205's on the back- they get some serious wear on the outer edge too- almost a cone shape on the outer edge of the tire. I Need to get into a habit of flipping the tires at a regular interval.

Another thing you can try is more toe out. Toe out usually causes wear on the inner side of the tire to even it out.

You can try the Swaybar-or send one to me to test

but the main problem with the handling is getting the car to transition better- which is usually done with a rear swaybar- or very stiffly-valved shocks.

Sometimes there is some magic setup that defies common rules!! I'd be open to try a bigger bar- I just don't have much budget these days


-Jason